It needs a community of good-hearted people who revere all thats good about Hollywood to dance in with baskets of cash to save it from a dreary Pottersville of a future with shuttered windows and sidewalks of scowling strangers.

It needs a Sam Wainwright to wire it a line of credit to ensure future generations of Americans wont forget about a Yankee Doodle Dandy whose charm and patriotism still resonate.

Hee! Haw!

Its touch and go right now, says museum executive director Timothy Harley. We need a cash influx to help us get through this challenging time.

Similar hardships have closed the doors at museums dedicated to other icons whose once-gleaming luminescence has begun to fade with age.

The Liberace Museum in Las Vegas, dedicated to the flamboyant ivory tickler, closed its doors in October after 31 years. And a museum dedicated to Roy Rogers and Dale Evans rode off into the sunset at the end of 2009.

Harley says attendance at the Jimmy Stewart Museum has steadily declined in the past three years in concert with the struggling economy and as Stewart's contemporaries withdraw from bus tour participation.

Pop culture trumps the past these days. Some museums are in the most inopportune places. When I lived in upstate New York, there was Frederick Remington museum not to mention the Baron Von Steuben memorial park and museum (a little log cabin), Fort Stanwix, Oriskany battlefield (which was a horrible thing, when fathers told their sons, "sons, grab your rifles, we're going", much like Mel Gibson's movie The Patriot, and they suffered terrible losses), and a number of graves of the Founders.

They shouldn't be forgotten.

Von Steuben requested to be buried in an unmarked grave, although they have a memorial over the spot where they think he was buried. Where was his ego?

Jimmy Stewart was a great actor and even greater Patriot. But museums for pop culture personalities (even patriotic ones) are doomed to eventual failure. And it doesn’t help that its in a small town in PA off the beaten path. They may get a reprieve this year, but they will eventually have to close their doors.

Jimmy has always been a serious favorite of mine. A big part of that (aside from obvious acting talent) is the fact that he was a real hero who risked his life as a military pilot. “Flight of the Phoenix” is one of my alltime Favs! I could watch it once a month.

Aside: I always wondered about the ending of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Everybody brings in their own money to save George and all...then he gets the word from his brother that his old friend has authorized him $8000 (covering the whole debt). I always figured that all the people would say “well you’re covered now George...I want my moeny back”. Some would say they put in more than they really did. Uncle Billy would get flustered and it would end up in a brawl :-)

My all time favorite, as an actor as well as a man. IAWL is far from his only great movie.

Anatomy of a Murder, the best coutroom film ever, Vertigo a murder mytery sexual obsession Hitchcock masterpiece, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington every bit as emotional and a lesson for today as IAWL, Harvey a beloved classic, Shenendoah, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance with Duke Wayne, Winchester 76 (?).... the list goes on and on.

It needs a community of good-hearted people who revere all thats good about Hollywood to dance in with baskets of cash to save it from a dreary Pottersville of a future with shuttered windows and sidewalks of scowling strangers.

Jimmy Stewart was a great actor and even greater Patriot. But museums for pop culture personalities (even patriotic ones) are doomed to eventual failure.

Agreed. These stars were big in their day, but they fade from memory. I'd guess that most people under the age of 35 have never even heard of Jimmy Stewart.

2 examples:

A few years ago I worked with this chick that was just out of high school. She had literally never heard of Johnny Carson.

The other day I asked my XO if he was going to see True Grit this month. He is a 27 yr old Lieutenant and he had never heard of True Grit. He was vaguely familiar with John Wayne, but had never heard of any of his movies.

Well, the one thing that Jimmy Stewart has going for his memory is that “Its a Wonderful Life” plays every holiday. I actually don’t like the fact that they’ve reigned in the number of showings on TV to one per year. IAWL is a great American masterpiece. Its also the only movie one that manages to choke me up at the end no matter how many times I see it. Its the scene where his brother makes the toast that does it.

Just heard about this thread. Yep, the museum is in trouble. I work just next door, in the courthouse, and used to volunteer at the museum. It’s funny to see visitors get their pic taken with the Jimmy statue outside on the courthouse lawn!

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